For decades, the films of Yasujiro Ozu were largely unseen outside of Japan; the thinking was that his studied tales of family relationships were "too Japanese" to make sense to foreign viewers. But even in Japan his films stood out. He wasn't "too Japanese" he was "too Ozu".

Floating Weeds, a 1959 colour remake of his earlier A Story Of Floating Weeds, sees a down-at-heel troupe of travelling performers arrive at a sleepy seaside town to perform their out-of-date plays to dwindling audiences. The main reason for the visit is for the troupe's leader, Komajuro, to visit an old flame with whom he has a son, a son who has always been told the old actor is his uncle. Komajuro's lead actress becomes consumed by jealousy and engineers a seduction between the unwitting young man and another actress. This sparks big changes in the lives of those who have endured a lie for far too long. Ozu's style involved a static camera and a never-ending parade of carefully composed shots. His plots were slow-moving but his flawed characters chatty and nuanced. The film employs no cheap tactics to grab the attention. This is one you have to lean into to get the most out of, to slow down to the steady pace Ozu dictates. As a later period work, it benefits from decades of the director refining his style. As such it's a great starting point for experiencing Ozu's artistry.

Eureka

Expendables 2

Better than the first one, but what isn't? Warning: contains mild scenes of Chuck Norris.